Re: FBI and BLACKNET

[craig@passport.ca (Craig Hubley)]

> On Wed, 11 Jan 1995, Samuel Kaplin wrote (about FBI interest in BlackNet)
> 
> > I hope they took you someplace nice for lunch...You might want to file a
> > FOI request on yourself, just to see how much they censor. ;) They might
> > think you're the ringleader, after all the FBI doesn't buy peons lunch. ;)
> 
> For the benifit of myself and the list, how would you go about doing that?

Also would be useful to know the equivalent procedures for Canada, UK, etc.

Filing such a request would probably get a file opened on you, too, but
so what?  The more these files fill up with innocent people the more
useless they get.  Perhaps everyone ought to sign up their granny to 
receive the Loompanics catalog or 2600, as a way to generate noise.

Regarding BlackNet, I am not sure that they are not *run* by the FBI,
or NSA, or CIA, MI6, Interpol, or some more mysterious quasi-governmental 
entity.  Such agencies must realize that traffic in secrets is possible,
inevitable, and would probably love to put themselves first in line to 
buy.  Think of the value:  embarrass rival agencies, identify leaks (if not
sources), raise funds for clandestine operations through resale or blackmail,
etc. Security agencies have often engaged in smuggling as a form of entrapment,
and/or fundraising;  Consider Iran-Contra as a recent high-level example.  The
mandate to trap offenders in a 'sting' also provides a handy alibi to excuse
such operations if they are ever exposed.  Citizens have no such protections.

Even a record of successful dealings with BlackNet would mean little.  If it
were run by, say, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Commission, then presumably
it would purchase non-nuclear secrets at high prices to build up credibility.
When a nuclear secret was offered for sale it would spare no expense to find 
the source.  In fact the 'highest bidder' for a secret would often be the
embarrassed/enraged agency responsible for preventing its leak.  At the very
least such agencies could be expected to deal secretly with the BlackNets...
why search out a secret yourself if you can buy it on the 'open' market?

Craig Hubley                Business that runs on knowledge
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